The Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Martin Amaewhule, has declared the seats of Edison Ehie, Chief of Staff to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and three other pro-Fubara lawmakers vacant due to their absence from sessions for 152 consecutive days.
Amaewhule, speaking during the plenary, clarified that Ehie’s failure to formally notify the House about his new position led to the vacancy declaration. Separate votes were also held to vacate the seats of Victor Oko-Jumbo and two others, who had violated the 1999 Constitution by skipping sittings without proper authorization.
The Assembly has decided to inform the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct elections within 90 days to fill the vacant positions and restore representation to the affected constituencies.
In a related move, the Assembly has extended another chance for Governor Fubara to present the 2024 Appropriations Bill. This comes after the Appeal Court annulled the previous N800 billion budget presented to a parallel House led by Edison Ehie.
“The people deserve leadership that respects the rule of law,” Amaewhule said during the session.